पञ्चधाऽऽत्मानं प्रविभज्यैतद्बाणमवष्टभ्य विधारयामीति
तेऽश्रद्दधाना बभूवुः ॥ २.३॥
pañcadhā”tmānaṃ pravibhajyaitadbāṇamavaṣṭabhya vidhārayāmīti
te’śraddadhānā babhūvuḥ .. 2.3..
3 To them prana, the chiefmost said: “Do not fall into delusion. I alone, dividing myself into five parts, support this body and uphold it.” But they were incredulous.
Translation by Max Mueller
3. Then Prâna (breath, spirit, life), as the best, said to them: Be not deceived, I alone, dividing myself fivefold, support this body and keep it.
Prashnopanishad Invocation
Prashna I – Spiritual paths of the Moon and Sun
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Verse 16
Prashna II – Discussion of Devas
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Prashna III – Origin and Nature of Prana
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Prashna IV – Mental States and Bliss
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Prashna V – Meditation on OM
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Prashna VI – The Purusha of 16 Kalas
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Closing Prayer – Closing
Sri Shankara’s Commentary (Bhashya) translated by S. Sitarama Sastri
Com.—Prâna, pre-eminent, said to them who were thus vain, ‘do not from want of discernment cherish this vanity; for, I alone hold together and support this body, having divided myself into five distinct conditions such as prâna, etc.’; and when he said he supported it, they did not believe in him and thought how it could be thus.
Prashna Upanishad – 3 – Prashna-2-3-tān variṣṭhaḥ – In Sanskrit with English Transliteration, Meaning and Commentary by Adi Shankaracharya (Sankara Bhashya) – Prashna-2-3